Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.11.19
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesLord Viṣṇu’s Order Never Fails
“O King of the demigods, since I, your enemy, am standing before you, why don’t you hurl your thunderbolt at me? Although your attack upon me with your club was certainly useless, like a request of money from a miser, the thunderbolt you carry will not be useless. You need have no doubts about this.”
What the purport teaches
- Indra doubted his thunderbolt because his earlier attack with the club had failed disastrously.
- Vṛtrāsura, being a Vaiṣṇava, understood Lord Viṣṇu’s purpose. He assured Indra that the thunderbolt prepared according to the Lord’s instructions would not fail.
- Vṛtrāsura was certain that he would return home, back to Godhead. He saw Indra’s victory and his own return to Godhead as benefits for both.
Try this today
Spend a minute reflecting on the purport’s teaching that Lord Viṣṇu’s order never fails.
Ask yourself
How does Vṛtrāsura’s confidence differ from Indra’s doubt?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.